Long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's physical activity and sedentary behavior.

Abstract

During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, decreases in physical activity (PA) and increases in sedentary behavior (SB) were reported among children in the United States (U.S.). This follow-up analysis examines 13-month effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's PA and SB one year into the pandemic. Parents of 5-13-year-old children in the U.S. (N=71) reported on their child's PA and SB during the early COVID-19 period (April-May 2020) and again 12-14months later (June-July 2021). Paired t-tests showed significant within-subject reductions in SB minutes per day (M diff=-86.20, t=3.26, p<0.01) but no changes in PA minutes per day. Separate mixed-model repeated-measures analysis of covariance procedures found that within-subject changes in PA and SB did not differ by child sex or age. As COVID-19 restrictions lessened, there were more opportunities for children to reduce SB, but there were still barriers to engage in PA.